Six Reasons to Love Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter
Many Walt Disney World fans prefer the Moderate tier of resorts.
When you stay at one of these Disney hotels, you’re gaining some of the finest amenities while still saving money on your vacation.
Among the Moderate resorts, every Disney veteran claims a favorite, and I’m about to talk about mine.
Here are six reasons you’ll love Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter.
The New Orleans Theme
Source: PortOrleans.org
Imagine me talking with a terrible Cajun accent right now. Many of us do when we think about that wonderful New Orleans vibe.
At French Quarter, you can’t help but vibrate as you approach the lobby and notice the jazzy elements on display.
This resort treats Fleur de Lis decorations like Hidden Mickeys as well. You’ll find them seemingly everywhere.
Disney has designed the French Quarter to embrace the very concept. You’re not just staying in New Orleans!
You’re hanging out in the heart of the action, the place where the locals and tourists meet!
The genteel French-southern charm is on display everywhere, creating a vibe that’s both vibrant and relaxing!
You’ll feel laid back and happy because you’re having so much fun here.
The Sea Serpent Pool (Doubloon Lagoon)
Photo: Insider.com
Every official Walt Disney World resort hosts a unique pool that at least somewhat matches the overriding hotel theme.
The French Quarter’s offering is a bit cheeky and especially child friendly.
Photo: Disney
Doubloon Lagoon embraces the pirate culture of the Big Easy. Even the name circles back to pirate treasures, which are sometimes called doubloons.
However, the visual at the pool is what defines its pirate nature.
Photo: Disney
An adorable blue sea serpent snakes in and out of sight. Its spine creates a waterslide for kids to scale and zoom down gleefully.
The spacious, 8,500-square-foot pool allows guests to spread out.
Photo: Disney
Meanwhile, the ample seating openly encourages guests to act like pirates of the Caribbean and order some rum at the nearby Mardi Grogs.
If you’re in the mood for something New Orleans in nature, go with the Hurricane instead.
By the way, you can book a pool view at this resort, and it’s well worth the money.
Photo: Washington Post
I’d strongly suggest asking a MickeyTravels agent for the best approach here. Their services are completely free to you, and they’re THE French Quarter experts.
As an FYI, this pool will undergo refurbishment at the start of 2024, but the pool at the neighboring Riverside resort will be available.
The Secluded Setting
When I’m at Disney, I like to find places where I can get away from the crowds.
While everyone discovers a few favorite private spots for this sort of seclusion, I prefer the sitting areas at the French Quarter.
You’ll find several hangout spots here, several of which are ideal for a picnic.
There’s a waterway for the Friendship Boats. You can sit in the courtyard and snack while you watch the ships sail by intermittently.
Most of the hotel buildings are three stories tall, preventing you from having to walk up many stairs.
More importantly, since there are fewer people in your building, you’ll experience significantly less crowd noise from other vacationers.
Basically, you can use your French Quarter hotel room as an escape, a safe space during a kinetic Disney vacation.
The Convenient Cuisine
Something I adore about the design of French Quarter involves the main building.
The lobby features a centralized locale with a nearby gift shop and restaurant, so you can grab everything you need while walking to your hotel room.
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory recently updated its menu, and I have to say it’s better for most guests, but decidedly less Louisiana in nature.
You won’t find jambalaya or gumbo at French Quarter. Instead, you must take a boat ride to Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall serves the only legitimate Cajun cuisine these days.
However, you probably want something bland and predictable for your family rather than something that might disrupt your digestion.
So, you’ll love the burgers, sandwiches, and chicken strips on sale at Sassagoula Floatworks.
Also, keep an eye on the lounges here. Scat Cat’s Club is where you will fill up on Mickey-shaped beignets during your trip.
You’re going to want to try those, my friends.
The Transportation to Disney Springs
Photo: portorleans.org
As I mentioned, a waterway carries guests to and from French Quarter.
Every few minutes, a Friendship Boat arrives at the dock.
You can ride this boat to other locations, like Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside or Disney Springs.
When you want authentic Louisiana cuisine or to hang out with Yehaa Bob Jackson, you’ll sail to Riverside.
Realistically, most guests go the other way, though. After all, Disney Springs offers the finest assortment of shopping and dining options in Central Florida.
Photo: Hotels.com
Thanks to this boat transportation, you’re never more than 20 minutes away from the entertainment complex.
The Riverside Amenities
I just touched on one amenity available at Riverside.
For many years now, Yehaa Bob Jackson has held court at River Roost Lounge.
Photo: Disney
You can watch the Disney icon perform many of your favorite songs. He’ll also tell a series of jokes and interact with the audience along the way.
During the pandemic, Disney couldn’t host this particular show. I can tell you from personal experience that it was one of the questions people asked most often.
Photo: Playbuzz.com
“When is Yehaa Bob coming back?”
People love that guy. So do we, as we recently interviewed him for the MickeyBlog podcast.
To a larger point, Riverside is worth exploring.
That location and French Quarter once combined for a single resort, so it’s fun to piece together how that looked.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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